Ladies and gentlemen, start your (pinewood) engines because you’re invited!
Pinewood Derby car created by Collision Center Manager Tina Roberts!
In a week from tomorrow, we’re hosting a Pinewood Derby Fundraiser for the Boy Scouts of America on June 9 from 6 – 8:30pm. This event is open to the community, so come and join us!
It’s only $10 to attend and $25 if you’d like to attend AND enter a car for racing. The top 3 winners of the race will receive prizes. There will also be raffles, beverages -soft drinks and alcohol (21+) and the Chicago Bus Food truck with food available for you to purchase. It’ll be an all-around good time.
Looking to get started? You can pick up Pinewood Derby kits at the La Grange Service Center (see Manny) or at our cashier’s desk.
Last day to register is June 5th, so hurry to claim your spot! Also, make note that all cars must check in by 5:45 p.m. with a weight capacity of 5 oz.
All proceeds will support Friends of Scouting.
Register online Here.
Questions? Please contact Manuel Carrera: Manuel.Carrera@Scouting.org or (312) 421-8800 Ext. 229
See you at the finish line!
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Make Your Tires Last
How often should you rotate your tires? Do they have enough traction? When should you buy new ones?
As you already know, tires can be expensive and you want to make sure you get the most out of your purchase. And whether you’re a new or old vehicle owner, it’s important to know how to properly care for your tires to ensure they last.
Of course, a lot of tire wear depends on where you live and how you drive, but we have some general tips to get the maximum use out of your tires to keep both your tires and wallet full.
Check air pressure
You should check your tire pressure at least once a month. Make sure to use a tire pressure gage when the tires are cold and to check them in the morning or a few hours after the vehicle has been driven. Newer vehicles might have a tire pressure monitoring system, which will let you know whenever the pressure is low.
Rotate your tires
If you didn’t know already, rotating your tires ensures that they will wear evenly, which is the key to tire longevity. Most automakers recommend that you rotate your tires every 6,000-8,000 miles. This is a simple procedure that won’t take long.
Examine tires
Visually check your tires for any cuts or holes. Make it a habit to do a quick check when you stop at the pump. Your tire might not go flat immediately if there’s a nail, but can leak over time, leaving you stuck on the road. Repair small holes and completely replace any tires with large holes or abrasions.
Check alignment
Aligning your tires is best left to the professionals, however you can do a quick check at home to ensure everything’s good to go. You can check the wheel alignment by looking at the wear pattern on your tires. Make sure that you have 4/32” of an inch minimum of dread to maintain traction. Do the penny trick!
Avoid potholes
Pay more attention to the road when your driving. Although many potholes cannot be avoided, try to at least reduce your speed when driving over them, which will reduce impact to your tires. Properly inflated tires will not be as affected by bumps in the road as poorly inflated tires will be.
Looking for top-notch tire service near you?
Learn why you should bring your vehicle to Continental Toyota:
Watch our video!
Spring is already here and as the weather heats up and the rain pours down, it’s the perfect time to start your garden (if you haven’t already).
Starting a garden has many benefits for you and your family. Not to mention, it’s a great way to relax and spend more time outdoors while the warm sun is shining.
Still not convinced? We came up with a few ways that growing a garden can benefit you this season.
Teach your kids
Want your kids to develop healthier habits? What better way to introduce them to new fruits and vegetables than getting them involved with your garden? Plus, they’ll be more likely to try new things if they grow it themselves. Set aside some quality time with your kids to help get it started. It’s the perfect opportunity to teach them about nature and healthy living.
Be healthier
You already know that eating more fruits and vegetables can improve your health and prevent disease. But what you should also know is that your homegrown fruits and veggies will contain the maximum amount of flavor and nutrients! That’s the beauty of growing them on your own. In addition, a little Vitamin D paired with the moderate exercise of gardening could do wonders for your mental and physical health.
Build community
Feel like you don’t know your neighbors very well? Well believe it or not, spending more time outside in your garden opens up the opportunity to chat with neighbors who are also outdoors. Your garden could spark up a conversation, allowing you to get to know the community better.
Save money
Shopping for fruits and veggies can be expensive, especially if you shop organic. Growing a garden can provide you with all of the fruits and veggies you need for the season. For example, if you start a few tomato plants, you might have so many fresh tomatoes you won’t know what to do with them! Consider growing a garden for the fruits and veggies you eat most, to save more money on your shopping trips. Plus, you’ll always get much more for less at home.
Our contest
If you’re still unsure about starting a garden, then we have just the thing. This month, we’re hosting a May Flowers contest on our Facebook page for a chance to win a $25 gift card to The Home Depot! We want to help get you started on gardening to make this world a little greener. Visit our page and enter today – we will select a winner on Monday (5/23).
Happy Gardening! #GoGreen
Feast your eyes on the 2016 Toyota RAV4 SE
This year you need something perfect for transporting your family, but also great for road trips, camping expeditions and carrying large belongs.
Not to mention, it needs to have sophistication and power.
For one of the sharpest looking and sporty crossovers, direct your eyes over to the 2016 Toyota RAV4 SE. Its aggressive styling truly makes it standout among the rest. Add in the one-of-a-kind features and you have yourself a unique and visually appealing RAV4 SE.
See for yourself with this fun video!
Here are some other major features you can’t miss with the RAV4 SE:
- 2.5-liter, 4 cylinder engine
- 178 horsepower
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Powered moon roof
- Height-adjustable power liftgate
- Heated outside mirrors
- LED headlights, taillights and daytime running lights
- Heated and power front seats
- Dual-zone climate control
- Rearview camera
- And more!
The new SE models offer an S-Code paint design, which employs three upper exterior colors like Super White, Electric Storm Blue, Magnetic Gray and Black Sand Pearl that pair with a Classic Silver Metallic lower body panel.
Hop into the cabin to see a plush and spacious interior loaded with the latest features that provide convenience and style. For example, you’ll find a new 4.2-inch color TFT multi-information display that puts all necessary driving information within clear sight.
Are you looking for a more athletic driving experience?
The 2016 Toyota RAV4 SE has a lot to offer at a great price. Check out our inventory to find what you like and stop in anytime so we can help you to find your perfect match!
Wishing you miles of smiles.
5/8 Mother’s Day Detail Special
Your mom makes a lot of trips in her vehicle. Whether it’s picking everyone up from school, driving everyone to soccer practice, or simply giving you a ride whenever in need, her vehicle requires some extra attention. That’s why at Continental Toyota we’re celebrating moms all month long with an offer to make her vehicle feel like new again! Claim our Mother’s Day Detail Special Offer on our Facebook page to surprise mom with $50 off for a full detail. Who doesn’t love the look and feel of a new car (for less)?
5/28 & 5/30 Memorial Day Grillin’ and Chillin’ Sales Event
The weather is warming up which means grilling season is near. And this can mean only one thing at Continental Toyota: Our semiannual Grillin’ and Chillin’ Sales Event! Come on by throughout Memorial Day Weekend for incredible deals and enjoy free hotdogs on Saturday and Monday. Our specials include 0% APR for 72 months on select models and free tote bags with every paid service with no charge on wiper installation. Our parts department will offer 15% off wiper blades as well!
6/4 La Grange Pet Parade
It’s the 70th Annual La Grange Pet Parade, and we’re taking part! There will be everything from children showcasing their pets to marching bands, floats and clowns. This event provides wholesome fun and entertainment for the entire family. It’ll take place from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Spot us in our Toyota Tacoma passing out fruit snacks and share your photos with us on our Facebook page. This is sure to be a fun event. Hope to see you there!
6/9 Pinewood Derby Fundraiser
Want to race? We’re hosting the Pinewood Derby Fundraiser for the Boy Scouts of America! This event is only $10 to attend and $25 if you’d like to attend AND enter a car for racing! There will be prizes for the top 3 winners, a raffle, drinks, the Chicago Pizza Boss truck and Taco Chapultepec with food available for purchase! You can pick up pinewood derby kits at the La Grange Service Center (See Manny) or the Continental Toyota cashier’s desk. See our flyer for full details. This is a fun event for a great cause, so be sure to leave your schedule open for June 9th! Derby Flyer Final
Continental Toyota Wins President’s Award
Have you heard the news?
We are proud to announce that we have recently been awarded the President’s Award here at Continental Toyota.
This award is the highest honor that a dealership can receive from Toyota and is only awarded to dealerships that have demonstrated a commitment to maintaining Toyota’s high standards for customer satisfaction. It honors Toyota dealerships that excel in all facets of operations and continue to go above and beyond at each customer touch point and represent the best of the best.
In order to qualify for this award, a Toyota dealership must meet certain standards of which include being in operation for all 12 months of a calendar year, achieving Sales Efficiency at or above 105 percent, maintaining Service Customer Retention (SCR) at or above Region/Private Distributor average (Metro or Single Point) at year-end (based on service retention reports released by mid-January) and more.
We’re excited to have won this high honor and would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers that have helped us to achieve and maintain such high levels of customer satisfaction.
It is always our goal to offer quality vehicles and continue to improve our customer experience whether it’s for sales or service. And as a President’s Award-winning dealership, we want to be your go-to dealer for any of your Toyota needs!
Thank you.
Get a head start in the 2016 Toyota 4Runner
Ready to take your driving adventure to a place you haven’t gone before? Maybe even off-roading?
The 2016 Toyota 4Runner is one of the last SUVs to be built with a body-on-frame construction. In fact, even after many miles of treacherous and harsh trails, 90 percent of 4Runners sold in the last ten years are still on the road today.
The 4Runner’s standard 4.0-liter V6 engine pumps out 270 horsepower and 278 lb.-ft of torque. It has the ability to tow up to 5,000 lbs., which means nothing has to be left behind on your trip.
And when the unexpected happens out on the open road, you’ll be prepared thanks to the full-sized spare that comes standard on all 4Runner models.
In addition to the unique front-end design, the 4Runner Limited comes with refined accents like chrome door handles and a chrome-accented front grille that makes it stand out from the rest. The projector-beam headlights give off a stronger and higher-focused beam than regular headlights and with the incorporation of Daytime Running Lights (DRL) you won’t be missed. Move over to the back to see LED taillights that not only increase visibility, but also provide a distinctive look that will attract all the right attention.
Go ahead and take a seat inside.
You’ll notice that you’re surrounded by nothing but quality and high-end technology, like the 6.1-in. high-resolution touch-screen display which comes standard on all models. And while it’s tough on the outside, the interior is filled with premium materials like perforated leather to keep you comfortable at all times. Not to mention, it’s equipped with all of the latest technology like Integrated Navigation, Bluetooth®, a JBL® audio system and more.
The back can accommodate up to 88 cubic feet of cargo and up to seven passengers with the available third-row seating when the seats are up. And to keep all of those passengers safe on the ride, the 4Runner is equipped with 8 standard airbags, side-impact door beams, Star Safety System™ and other great features to provide you with better peace of mind while on the road.
So, what do you think? That was a lot to take in, but we want to help you find the perfect Toyota for your style and budget. If you think the 2016 4Runner would be a perfect match for you, feel free to view our inventory and give us a call.
Li’s Corner: A Year in Review
You cooked. You baked. You enjoyed.
Now it’s time to vote for your favorite.
From mouth-watering pasties to sweet and delicious pistachio cake, our service valet Elysian “Li” Shiavitti has outdone himself with all of his delectable recipes found exclusively in our monthly newsletter. We’ve really enjoyed sharing these recipes with our readers, as Li’s Corner has grown to such success.
And whether you’ve tried one or tried them all, we want to hear your opinion. That’s why in this month’s newsletter, we’re asking you to vote for your favorite recipe of Li’s in our “year in review” survey! (We know that it’s a tough choice).
Here are some of the famous recipes you can choose to vote for:
- Pistachio Cake
- Banana bread in a jar
- Carmelitas
- Tunnel of fudge cake
- Omelette muffins
- Banana nut muffin tops
- Pasties
- 6 week bran muffin
- The ultimate banana bread recipe
Cast your vote here!
When you’re done casting your vote, feel free to share more of your experiences on cooking recipes from Li on our social pages like Facebook and Twitter (bonus points for photos). We’d love to hear from you and see the delicious recipes you try.
Get social with Continental Toyota
We love seeing you at our dealership, but did you know that there’s an easy way to stay in touch with us when you’re not?
That’s right. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, YouTube and Instagram to maintain contact with us even after your sale or service is complete.
But you’re probably thinking: “What’s in it for me?”
We’ll keep you updated on the latest news from Toyota, great deals, and show you behind the scenes fun here at Continental Toyota. Not to mention, we throw exciting contests every now and then with awesome giveaways that are exclusive to our followers.
Our St. Patrick’s Day Contest winner, Denise Perez.
Just this month, we had a St. Patrick’s Day Facebook contest where participants had to share their luckiest moment with us for a chance to win $50 worth of scratch-off lotto tickets and other goodies. Only participants who were followers of our page were eligible to win. In fact, we had so much fun with this contest that we decided to host a similar contest in our store for the employees.
If the fun and contests aren’t reason enough to follow us, we will also provide you with store news and updates, as well as sales and service events when the time comes for a new Toyota or to have you current vehicle repaired. We want to keep current and potential customers in-the-know of what we’re up to.
And if you’re already following us on social media, be sure to leave us some feedback on our review sites like DealerRater, Edmunds, Yelp and cars.com. Your feedback helps us to be successful, no matter what kind of experience you share.
You have a voice that needs to be heard. Our social and reputation sites will help you to do that, so let’s keep in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.
Continental Toyota Welcomes New Parts Manager
Did you know?
We have a new member to our fun and exciting team.
We’d like to take this opportunity to give a big, warm welcome to our new Parts Manager, Scott Mickelson. He will now oversee the parts department and ensure that our inventory is fully stocked to meet the needs of your Toyota or Scion.
Is your vehicle in need of a new part? You might work with Scott to find what you need.
He may be a new member to our team, but the automotive industry definitely isn’t something new to Scott. In fact, he comes to us with 14 years of experience from none other than our sister store, Continental Mitsubishi. He has been in the car industry for practically his entire life. Trust us, this guy knows what he’s talking about.
At home, he has a wife whom he has been married to for 10 years, and is kept busy with their two children whether it’s helping out with homework or attending birthday parties.
He enjoys hanging out in the backyard, swimming in his pool and barbecuing. Also, he’s a big fan of the Miami Dolphins and New York Mets.
Needless to say, we’re excited to have Scott here as part of the Continental Toyota family and hope he’s just as happy to be with us as well.
Looking for parts for your vehicle? Call us today or check out what we have available on our website.
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